User blog:Cfp3157/Film Review: Theatrical Prowess Sires "Mary Queen of Scots" as a Reinvention of the Classical Era
"They don't make them like they used to!" is a common complaint among older film fans, and that's a simple matter of truth. However, Josie Rourke puts forth a deftly crafted medieval epic of that bygone era of filmmaking with her ferociously contemporary Mary Queen of Scots. Fully embracing the epic and theatrical elements of a prestigious story, Rourke delivers a rousing effort to satisfy on many levels. She also garners another fantastic performance from Saoirse Ronan, while deftly handling an ensemble of flawed but empathetic characters that seek the same throne. The result is one of intrigue, class, and pristine quality. The Cast Assembling an effective ensemble of modern thespians, Mary Queen of Scots is features a surprisingly strong ensemble for a film focused so precisely on one character. David Tennat breathes fires and brimstone in his spare moments, inciting the raw passion needed to jolt audiences awake should they desire more than the political intrigue. Jack Lowden is a welcome performance as Mary's main lover, while Joe Alwyn makes fantastic use of limited screentime to deliver an empathetic emotional outlet for Margot Robbie. Speaking of Robbie, she delivers when the film allows her to. While she's fantastic in her scenes, often allowing her insecurities and nervousness to fully show themselves on the screen. However, her presence is much more limited and brief than expected. Firmly a supporting role, Margot Robbie simply doesn't get to show off the way she naturally fits into this role. Taking center stage is Saorise Ronan, the greatest young talent of this decade. She puts herself firmly into Mary's sense of honor and faith, allowing her determined nature to show itself in vital ways. She's not all strict formality however, with Ronan easily flashing out personality and genuine emotion into moments to make a fiercely powerful monarch relatable and empathetic. Score: 4 out of 5 The Script Rooted just as firmly in the moment as the era it depicts, Mary Queen of Scots separates itself from standard costume drama by allowing it to take a progressive, contemporary mindset into ancient conflict. This sense of modernism does tend to make itself apparent very often, taking historical accuracy to liberal measures that border inauthenticity, but the diversity of the characters and the heroine's acceptance makes for an empowering display. During the mid-16th century, the young Mary Queen of Scots returns from France to take her throne as rightful ruler of Scotland. As a Catholic, she is immediately met with threats both at home from her brother the Earl of Moray and cleric John Knox as well as abroad in the council of Queen Elizabeth of England. The rebellious and fierce young monarch faces these challenges head on as she desperately tries to maintain her dignity as a ruler while defiant in determining her own fate. When the film maintains its edge on political intrigue, it absolutely thrives. The language is theatrical and performative, with expressive linguistics makin for an flamboyant but powerful show. Mary as a character is equally inspiring, surrounded and confronted by strong female characters while the men of the film challenge her with faulty but understandable reasoning. While there certainly are villains, very few are evil; likewise, Mary is an honorable woman but held back by that rigid inability to concede. It makes for an involving, fascinating melodrama to watch unfold. Score: 4 out of 5 The Direction Josie Rourke is primarily a theatrical director, and it shows itself marvelously throughout the film. In her film debut no less, Rourke shows a clear and concise way of manipulating the elements of filmmaking to ensure the maximum effect of emotion. She also shows a penchant for working with actors, drawing out performances from her entire cast to make typically stuffy dialogue and settings seem natural and normal for them. Finally, she manages to truly capture the sheer epicness of the story she seeks to tell, with all of the emotional cues hitting at just the right spots. Any costume drama is expected to pull off fashion and makeup well, but what the crafts team here accomplishes is especially noteworthy. Elegant gowns, smallpox, and armor make for exquisite attention to detail of the period, all captured perfectly by John Mathieson's eye as a cinematographer. The biggest standout technically is the breathtaking score by Max Richter, who truly delivers on the aspect of scale and sweeping emotional moments as his orchestra maximizes the power of well-placed music. If there's a chink in the film's armor, it's Chris Dickens' choice as an editor. His transitions aren't the primary problem; he moves from scene to scene efficiently enough. However, he refuses to maintain a perspective on Elizabeth's character in a way that makes her storyline as engaging as Mary's. Forcing Margot to make up for missing screentime, one wonders if there's any scenes left on the cutting room floor that Dickens could've included to make a more complete picture. Score: 4.5 out of 5 Final Verdict Sophisticated but contemporary and classy while energetic, Mary Queen of Scots is a throwback to a different era of filmmaking. The type of sweeping, emotional, and theatrical filmmaking that borders the lines of camp and pretension in the best way, this can be placed squarely on the shoulders of the magnificent direction of Josie Rourke. She is a powerful new filmmaker to watch out for, garnering technical results from her crew and powerful emotion from her cast. Mary Queen of Scots resembles the films of a begotten time, and that's the best compliment it could receive. Score: 83% Potential Ballot Spots: #Best Picture #Best Director - Josie Rourke #Best Lead Actress - Saoirse Ronan (in a weaker year) #Best Adapted Screenplay (in a weaker year) #Best Cinematography (in a weaker year) #Best Production Design #Best Costume Design #Best Makeup & Hairstyling #Best Original Score #Best Limited Male Performance - David Tennant Category:Blog posts Category:Reviews Category:2018 Reviews